State Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, announced Friday the first bill to be introduced to the state Senate in 2009 will propose a minimum wage increase.
This would increase Wisconsin's current minimum wage from $6.50 to $7.60 an hour.
The bill would also call for the minimum wage to be indexed, or adjusted to the rate of inflation.
According to Julie Laundrie, spokesperson for state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, indexing is a key part of the proposal and will mean less of a battle over increasing the wage in the Legislature.
State Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, has supported indexing in the past and said gradually increasing the minimum wage in accordance to inflation works better for everyone.
According to Hansen and Laundrie, this is part of a larger economic plan to stimulate the economy.
Republican Party of Wisconsin communications director Kirsten Kukowski said many Republicans have opposed raising the minimum wage because it could hurt businesses and job growth.
Because of the way the economy is now we need to be looking at policies that will help create jobs and help small businesses instead of policies like raising the minimum wage that could make our economic crisis worse,"" Kukowski said.
Laundrie said Erpenbach is confident an increase in minimum wage will significantly help those receiving low income.
""When you raise the income of those who are receiving minimum wage, there is also an increase for those who are slightly above it,"" Laundrie said.
Wisconsin's current minimum wage of $6.50 is lower than the federal minimum wage of $6.55, and according to Hansen, working full-time under Wisconsin's minimum wage produces an income below the poverty level.
""The whole goal is to get closer to the poverty level,"" Hansen said. ""People on the low end are essential to stimulating the economy.""
According to Hansen, the fact that Republicans have not supported minimum wage increases in the past will not hurt the bill's chance of passing because Democrats now control both houses of the Legislature.
Republican senators could not be reached for comment at press time.
